Opening Attachments

Once you're sure that an attachment is safe, here's how to open it:

1.Double-click the attachment icon.

2.A dialog box opens.

3.To view the file without saving it, check Open it, then click OK. The application should open, allowing you to view the file. If the file extension isn't associated with an application, follow the directions below.

4.If you saved the file, locate the folder where you saved it, find the file and double-click it. The appropriate program should open. Alternately, you can first open the associated application--for instance, Word if the you received a ".doc" file--then locate the file and open it.

If an attachment won't open, but you have the program that can open it, associate the file type with the program as follows:

1. Click the My Computer icon on the desktop, then on the View menu and select Folder Options.

2.Click the File Types tab, then locate the file type from the list. Click it once to highlight it. You will see which application, if any, is associated with the file. To associate a new application, click the Change button.

3.When the dialog box opens, click the program you want to use to open the file. If the program doesn't appear in the list, click the Browse button and locate it on your hard drive. Once you've made your choice, click OK.

There's no doubt that the above procedure is a bit complicated, so if you encounter problems, ask someone to walk you through the steps. After a while, you'll get the hang of it.

Last update: Jan 19, 2010